Connector for multiple conductor cable



Dec. 22, 1970 H. E. COOTES 3,550,066

CONNECTOR FOR MULTIPLE CONDUCTOR CABLE Filed Sept. 19, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 .7; A l v I i q l INVENTOR. ()mzow Eowm (cows Dec. 22, 1970 v H. E. COOTES 3,550,066

' CONNECTOR FOR MULTIPLE CONDUCTOR CABLE Filed Sept. 19, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet P,

22 6 J L 32 5- INVENTOR. W71. HHQOLD EDWIN COOTES BY (F MM Dec. 22,1970

H.E. COOTES v 3,550,066

CONNECTOR FOR MULTIPLE CONDUCTOR CABLE Filed Sept. 19, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 8 q .INVENTOR. ()mzou: Ebwm COOTE$ BY k Q United States Patent Oflice 3,550,066 Patented Dec. 22, 1970 3,550,066 CONNECTOR FOR MULTIPLE CONDUCTOR CABLE Harold Edwin Cootes, Harrisburg, Pa., assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Sept. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 760,932 Int. Cl. H01r 13/58, 33/04 U.S. Cl. 339-196 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An electrical connector is provided for multiple conductor fiat or ribbon cable and comprises a header block formed of two identical halves having alternately disposed slots for receiving the individual conductors of the flat or ribbon cable and maintaining said conductors separated and electrically insulated from each other.

Flat cable and ribbon cable are currently being extensively used in the electrical and electronic field and this invention pertains to a means for electrically terminating such cable to provide a pluggable connection. The spacing between adjacent conductors in flat or ribbon cable is normally less than the spacing which can be achieved between adjacent electrical socket contacts. Therefore, this invention provides a means for separating adjacent conductors to a suitable spacing to permit pluggability with conventional socket contacts.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an electrical connector for flat or ribbon cable.

A further object is to provide a connector having a header block of hermaphroditic design to thereby render the connector simple and inexpensive to produce.

Another object is to provide a connector which is capable of terminating a plurality of ribbon cables in parallel relation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the connector of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same connector shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a crosssectional view of the connector showing the header block in open position prior to engaging the ribbon cable;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 and showing the block in its closed position;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4 and showing the means for staggering adjacent conductors of the cable;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4 and shows a conductor being staggered in the opposite sense from that shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a crosswsectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6 showing further details of the connector; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a modified header block for terminating plural layers of ribbon cable.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that these embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but are given for purpose of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

The connector of the instant invention is indicated in FIG. 1 at 10 and comprises a header block 12 disposed on opposite sides of a flat or ribbon cable 14. The cable 14 consists of a plurality of closely spaced electrical conductors 16 separated by insulating means 18. As shown in the drawings the insulation is stripped from the end of the cable which is to be placed within the header block 12.

Header block 12 consists of a pair of mating halves 20 and 22 which halves are preferably of identical construction for ease of manufacture. The two halves are mateable with each other by merely inverting one half as shown in FIG. 2. Each of the header block portions 20 and 22 comprise a locating ear 24 and a recess 26 for receiving the ear of the mating half. Bolt holes 28 are provided for receiving a pair of bolts 30 and lock nuts 32 for securing the two halves of the header block together.

The header block is formed of an insulating or dielectric material to insure both mechanical and electrical separation of the conductors 16 of the ribbon cable. The lower portion 22 of the header block will now be described in detail although it is to be understood that the portion 20 is of identical construction. A plurality of slots 34 are disposed in parallel relation along one surface of the portion 22 and these slots are separated by land areas 36. These land areas have arcuately shaped upper surfaces 38 which surfaces will cooperate with the slots 34 of the mating header block portion to define enclosed passageways for the conductors of the ribbon cable. The spacing between adjacent slots 34 is preferably equal to twice the spacing between adjacent conductors of the ribbon cable. The reason for this is because each half of the header block will contain alternate conductors of the cable Whereas the remaining conductors will be disposed in the mating portion of the block.

The land areas 36 between adjacent slots have ramp portions 40 for leading conductors into the slots formed in the mating portion of the header block. For example, the ramps formed in block portion 22 will force the conductors to be displaced upwardly into the slots of block portion 20 whereas the ramps formed in block portion 20 will force the conductors downwardly into the slots in block portion 22. The disposition of the various conductors can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein it is shown that adjacent conductors are disposed in parallel planes which thereby increases the distance between adjacent conductors of the cable.

The conductors 16 of the cable are terminated within contact means 42 which comprise malepin members to permit pluggability of the connector. The pin members 42 are preferably crimped or otherwise secured to the ends of the conductors 16.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 the ribbon cable is shown, respectively, prior and subsequent to engagement of the portions 20 and 22 of the header block. The particular number of conductors contained in the ribbon cable is immaterial for purposes of this invention. For illustration only a cable having six conductors is shown and it can be seen that conductors 16a, 16c, and 16e have been displaced downwardly into block portion 22 whereas conductors 16b, 16d, and 16 have been displaced upwardly into the slots in block portion 20. Flange portions 44 are formed in the block portions and nestle within recesses 46 disposed within the mating block portions for defining a confined area within which the ribbon cable nests (see FIG. 7). The portions 44 thus define a recessed area of sufficient size to accommodate the ribbon cable with the insulation disposed around the conductors and thereby also provide a strain relief for the cable.

In FIG. 8 there is shown a modified version of the header block. The block comprises a pair of mating halves 50 and 52 of generally the same configuration as the blocks 20 and 22 previously described with the exception that raised portions 54 are provided along both sides of portions 50 and 52 so that the land areas 56 of the block portions do not directly cooperate with the slots 58 formed in the mating block portion. A pair of inserts 60 are disposed between the block portions and comprise regularly spaced slots 62 and land areas 64 for cooperating with the slots and land areas of the block portions 50 and 52. In this manner a plurality of ribbon cables can be stacked in one connector and the various conductors will be displaced in plural planes. One or more inserts 60 may be used depending upon the number of cables desired to be terminated within the connector. In the example shown in FIG. 8 two inserts are used to thereby accommodate three ribbon cables each having six conductors.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector for a ribbon cable having the insulation stripped from one end and a terminal connector secured to the stripped end of each conductor of the cable comprising a housing having an opening in one end for receiving an insulated zone of the cable adjacent the stripped end, means for supporting the connectors in parallel planes in the other end of the housing, means in said housing between said opening and 1 interdigitated teeth in said other end of the housing, the ends of the teeth and the facing segments of the space between the teeth being congruent to the shape of the surface of the connector.

2. A connector as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for distorting the insulation comprises interdigitated ramps extending from the opening toward the teeth.

3. A connector as defined in claim 2 wherein the housing comprises a pair of identical elements and means securing the elements together.

4. An electrical connector for ribbon cable having the insulation stripped from an end thereof, said connector comprising a header block formed of a dielectric material, said header block having a plurality of slots theresupporting means for distorting the insulation and bending the conductors into said parallel planes, the means for supporting the connectors comprising a plurality of in for receiving the conductors of said cable, said slots being alternatively disposed in two parallel planes for separating adjacent conductors of said cable and for maintaining said conductors electrically insulated from each other, insert means disposed within said header block and cooperating with said slots for forming additional planes having slots disposed therein.

5. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 4 further comprising contact means secured to said conductors adjacent said end of said ribbon cable, said contact means being partially disposed within said header block.

6. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 5 wherein said header block comprises a pair of mating portions of like configuration.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,004,237 11/1961 Cole et al. 339-176 3,017,602 1/1962 Little 339-174 3,259,873 7/1966 Parkinson et al. 339-97 3,278,887 11/1966 Travis 339-176 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,062,566 3/1967 Great Britain 339-276T MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner L. J. STAAB, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. XJR. 339-107, 210 

